Well it is a moot point in a sense because NHC has already decided. However I think they just picked something, thinking it would never come into play so it wasn't anything critical.

Now that they might have to actually name a storm Alpha, with future seasons looming where that occurance might have to be repeated, I think they'll reconsider. I like names; hurricanes all have unique characteristics that we morph into personalities, and so there is something clinically unappealing about calling a storm Alpha.

I agree with HF, just create a 7th list of names that has the same conventions as the first six, but only gets used it you run out in a season. It doesn't even have to be more than 10 names (couldn't imagine a season of more than 31 named storms anyway, much less more than 42). And is easier than extending all six of the existing sets of names.